1
|
Galakhova AA, Hunt S, Wilbers R, Heyer DB, de Kock CPJ, Mansvelder HD, Goriounova NA. Evolution of cortical neurons supporting human cognition. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:909-922. [PMID: 36117080 PMCID: PMC9561064 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Human cognitive abilities are generally thought to arise from cortical expansion over the course of human brain evolution. In addition to increased neuron numbers, this cortical expansion might be driven by adaptations in the properties of single neurons and their local circuits. We review recent findings on the distinct structural, functional, and transcriptomic features of human cortical neurons and their organization in cortical microstructure. We focus on the supragranular cortical layers, which showed the most prominent expansion during human brain evolution, and the properties of their principal cells: pyramidal neurons. We argue that the evolutionary adaptations in neuronal features that accompany the expansion of the human cortex partially underlie interindividual variability in human cognitive abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Galakhova
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - S Hunt
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - R Wilbers
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - D B Heyer
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - C P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - H D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - N A Goriounova
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Heyer DB, Wilbers R, Galakhova AA, Hartsema E, Braak S, Hunt S, Verhoog MB, Muijtjens ML, Mertens EJ, Idema S, Baayen JC, de Witt Hamer P, Klein M, McGraw M, Lein ES, de Kock CPJ, Mansvelder HD, Goriounova NA. Verbal and General IQ Associate with Supragranular Layer Thickness and Cell Properties of the Left Temporal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2343-2357. [PMID: 34550325 PMCID: PMC9157308 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The left temporal lobe is an integral part of the language system and its cortical structure and function associate with general intelligence. However, whether cortical laminar architecture and cellular properties of this brain area relate to verbal intelligence is unknown. Here, we addressed this using histological analysis and cellular recordings of neurosurgically resected temporal cortex in combination with presurgical IQ scores. We find that subjects with higher general and verbal IQ scores have thicker left (but not right) temporal cortex (Brodmann area 21, BA21). The increased thickness is due to the selective increase in layers 2 and 3 thickness, accompanied by lower neuron densities, and larger dendrites and cell body size of pyramidal neurons in these layers. Furthermore, these neurons sustain faster action potential kinetics, which improves information processing. Our results indicate that verbal mental ability associates with selective adaptations of supragranular layers and their cellular micro-architecture and function in left, but not right temporal cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D B Heyer
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - R Wilbers
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - A A Galakhova
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - E Hartsema
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - S Braak
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - S Hunt
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - M B Verhoog
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Biology, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - M L Muijtjens
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - E J Mertens
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - S Idema
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - J C Baayen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - P de Witt Hamer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - M Klein
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HZ, The Netherlands
| | - M McGraw
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - E S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - C P J de Kock
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - H D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| | - N A Goriounova
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1081HV, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Balanovska EV, Bogunov YV, Kamenshikova EN, Balaganskaya OA, Agdzhoyan AT, Bogunova AA, Skhalyakho RA, Alborova IE, Zhabagin MK, Koshel SM, Daragan DM, Borisova EB, Galakhova AA, Maltceva OV, Mustafin KK, Yankovsky NK, Balanovsky OP. Demographic and Genetic Portraits of the Ulchi Population. RUSS J GENET+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795418100046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|